Humidifier



1,439,319. B1. M. MILLS.

HUMIDIFIER.

FILED JUNE :7, 1921. 4 SHEETSSHEE. 2.

D N 1 YH N w N b E6 ram f77. 777136@- @y /YM 4M n @warmem Dec. 19, 1922.

1,439,319. B. lvl. MILLS.

HUMIDIFIER.

EILED JUNE 9, 1921. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. Patente Dec. i9, l922.

BERTRAM M. MILLS, or PAWTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND.v

HUMID'IFIER.

Application aiea June 9, 1921. Serial No. 476,220.

To all whom 1t/may concern.'

'Be it known that I, BERTRAM M. MILLS, a citizen of theUnited States of America, and resident of Pawtucket, in the lcounty of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful `Im rovements in Humidifiers, of which the ollowingis a specification.

.This invention concerns apparatus `for moistening or humidifying air and relates more particularly to that type of apparatus wherein water' from a suitable source of supply is mechanically atomized and ,discharged directly'into the room or chamber where air is to be moistened.

When atmospheric air is artificially heated, as isi-usual in modern houses and'manufacturing .establishments,` its humidity is very appreciably decreased. The deleterious effects of such unnatural'ly dry air upon the health of persons cont'nually subjected thereto has long been recognized, as well as the fact that such desiccated air is injurious to wooden `furniture and other ob- 2'5 jects of household utility. It is also a matter of common knowledge thatf such air interferes in a very serious way with the Successful carrying out of certain manufacturing processes, notably such as are em-y ployed in the textileindustry.

While efforts heretofore have been made to devise methods or means -for furnishing the desired degree of moisture in artificially heated rooms or apartments, such efforts have been directedin large measure to the provision of Imechanically operated apparatus suitable for .use in textile mills or other manufacturing establishments where relatively large quantities of air must/be treated.

Such apparatus is commonly of large size,

costly to install, unsightly in lappearance and intenjded to occupy a fixed position; The relatively few attempts which have been made toward providing for the moistening v o`f the air in dwelling houses have been confined almost wholly to the provision of moisture evaporative means applicable directly to the heatin units employed, orto ermanent insta ations of complicated cfiaracter forming coordinate parts of the heating system. In view of the relative inefficiency of the .latter forms of device and of the unsuitable character of th'e more efficient,

forms, such as have been employed in mills,

.heating system employed.

" sectionon a line such as c, l the use of arr molstening devices, in so far asn their application to dwelling houses xS concerned, is very infrequent, although it 1s highly desirable, from the standpoint of' health, that the air in such: places be prop-- erly moistened. f The principalobject-of the present. in-

vention is toprovide air moistening means ASuitable for use 1n dwelling houses and more particularly to furnish means of a .portable character and such asmay readily be 'moved from place to place or from room to room in an apartment or dwelling house, and which at the same time shall be unobjectionable in appearance and entirely independent of the Afurther object of .the invention is to pro'- videl simple and effective means, whether embodied in apparatus of portable character or net, whereby liquid may be atomized by mechanical means and in practical quan- `surrounding atmosphere, and in accordance with certain forms of the invention, dif*- charged in a predetermined direction.

A further object is to-'soimprove the means employed for admitting air to, and

for circulating air about the apparatus so las to secure the maximum cooling effect resulting fromthe absorption by the air of the vatomized liquid, and as subsidiary to this latteriobject to provide `against Athe accumulation in the apparatus of dust or other foreign material,. such for example as Athe lint or fly commonly occurring in the air of textile establishments.

be attained in various ways, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings one the present invention;

f vFigure 2 is a'horizontal- Section .on theline2-2-of`Fig. 1; y

' Figure '.3 is a fragmentary horizontal cross 3-3 of Fig.. 1;

While lthe above objects may undoubtedly l A. igure 4 is a side elevation, partly in cenc 7.5- tities without any appreciable discharge of J .droplets of rnolsture, and whereby the i shown in Fi 4;

tral vertical section, of a modified form of humidifying device;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the device Figure 6 1s a fragmentary diagrammatic elevation illustrating a modified form of'the the receptacle 1 there may be provided lugs or bosses 2 serving as legs or supports for the same and such bosses may if desired, be furnished with resilient pads 3 secured thereto by screws 4 or in other desired manner,

such pads serving to prevent marring of, in-

ished surfaces such as table tops or'the like on which the receptacle may be placed. Projecting from one side of the receptacle 1 is a boss 5, such boss being provided with a vertical passage or opening 6, which open- 'ing at its upper end is flared outwardly as indicated at 7. The opening 6 serves for the reception of the neck 8 of a bottle 9 supported in inverted position within the flared upper portion of said opening. Leadingv from the. lower end of the opening 6 is a `lateral'passage 10 which opens into the body of the receptacle.

' The upstanding side walls of the receptacle 1 .are so' shaped as to provide, at a point intermediate the vupper and lower edges of the same, a lateral ledge or offset 11, and

from the outer edges of said offset or ledge such walls are continued upwardly as indicated at 12 providing. an inwardly inclined inner surface. Supported upon the upper edge of 1the wall portion 12 is a spider device comprising an annular ring 13 which may be secured to' the edge of the wall member 12 by means of screws 14, or in other desired manner. Extending-inwardly from the ring 13 are a plurality of spaced arms 15 which are continued upwardly in a. vertical direc- .tion as' indicated at 16 and nierge at their upper ends into a horizontal annular ring 18. The ring 18 is provided with the .central opening 19 and extending inwardly and up- 'wardly from the edge of this opening.' are a plurality of legs 20 which serve to support a ring 21. This spider device as above described may consist of an integral stamping or casting, or may if desired, be built up of severalindependent parts suitably joined toa .getherl Resting upon the ring l21 is an electric motor 22 tothe terminals of which may be attached the endof a'iexible conductor cord 22'2L whereby the motor may be placed in circuit with any suitable source of electrical energy. The motor 22 is provided with a vertically disposed shaft 23 to the lower end of which is secured a sleeve 24 detachably fixed to the shaft by means of a set screw 25. The upper end of a shaft 26 is inserted within the sleeve 24 and may be fixed therein by means of a set screw 27. The shaft 26 eX- tends downwardly into the receptacle 1 and at its lower end is journaled in a bearing block 28 seated in a hollow boss 29 upstanding from the central portion of the bottom wall of the receptacle l. At a point immediately below the end of the sleeve 24 a hub 30 may be secured to the shaft to rotate therewith, such hub being provided with a series of fan blades 30a. A s herein illustrated such fan blades'are of paddle form but it is contemplated that a fan of other type might well be substituted if it were so desired. At a point within the receptacle and slightly above the plane of the ledge 11 there is fixed to the shaft 26 a hub 31 having a bore of substantially the same diameter as the shaft and constituting the central supporting element of afsibstantially flat and horizontal disk, the outer part of which is formed of sheet material indicated at 32. This disk extends outwardly 'to a point such that it slightly overlaps the ledge 11, the peripheral edge of such disk being spaced a short distance above the adjacent surface of .said ledge. As a convenient Inode of securing the outer part 32 of the disk to the hub 31, the latter may be furnished with an integral flange or rim 33 with which engages a downwardly direc flange 34 integral with the part 32. "he members 33 and 34 may be secured together by rivets j or in any other desired and obvious manner,

the central portion of the disk being closedA orimperforate when mounted in operative position upon the shaft. l'llie flange 34 is of truncated conical form' extending downwardly to a point adjacent the upper surfaceof the loottomof the .receptacle and having its open lowenr end encircling the boss 29 but being spaced therefrom -as indicated at 35.

Interposed between the disk and the fan comprising the blades 3()a there is a cover member comprising the horizontal plate 36 provided twith a central opening of a diameter closely approximating that of the shaft 26 and -through which the shaft passes and having the depende-nt and substantially vertical lange 36a. rlhe plate 36 and flange 36n are of such a diameter as to lit snugly between the inner surfaces of the arms 16 above .described and constitutes a partition which substantially prevents movement of air axially of the shaft. From thelower edges of the lla-nge 36a the cover is continued in an outwardly and downwardly: inclined direction as indicated at 37 and from the lower edge of the part 37 the cover extends 1n a vertical direction, such vertical portion of the cover being slotted to provide a series of vanes 38. l A

As indicated in Fig. 3 the vanes 38 are i inclined -to radii as RF-R passing through the respective vanes, the angle of inclination i be used. In Fig. 3 the arrow X illustratesv of the vane to its respective radius vherein being shown as substantially The exact angle of inclination of the vanes, may.

however, be varied in accordance lwith the conditions under which the apparatus is to the direction of rotation of the disk member 32 and it will be noted that the inclination ofthe vanes ,38 is opposed thereto. While these vanes may be formed as independent elements secured to the member 37, it is preferred that they be provided by slitting the e material of the cove-r and bending the por-- tion of such material lyingl between adjacent slits. The cover member as thus constituted is supported. by the ledge" '11, the

lower ends of the vanes 38 resting upon such ledge and the cover being properly centered by engagement of the flange 36a e with the f arms 16 as aforesaid.

paratus which .may be moved freely from Vplace to'place in a room o-r apartment, it is contemplated that it may lalso be used as a i fixture or 'stationary appliance. In such case it may be found desirable to provide means whereby air may be drawn from a source outside theroom or compartment in which the device is situated. F'or this purpose there may be provideda casing or sleeve 41 surrounding the motor and having aliange y 4 2 which rests upon the upper surface of the ring 1'8 .to which itv may be secured by screws 43. This casing may be furnished with an opening for the passage of the conductor cord 22l and if desired, may have a damper 44 of any desired character whereby to regulate the amount of air induced by the fan and actuable by a handle 45 extending outside the casing. Such casing may also i-f desir'ed, be furnished with a screen 45 of foraminous or reticulated material. whereby `to exclude dust or other foreignmaterial from the apparatus.

A` lateral opening 46 is providedinthe sleeve 24, such opening communicating witha longitudinal p-assage 47 in shaft' 26. At

- A-the lowerend of the shaft, radial openings 48 lead from the' passage 47, the arrange- .ment just described permitting oil to be fed into the interior of the bearing blade 28:.

In the operation of the apparatus as thus.

large drops.

described, it being assumedthat it is to be employed as a portable device, the receptacle l will .be placed upon a table and the bottle 9 will be lled with water WV as indicated in Fig. 1. The -water from such 'bottle will run out through the neck of the bottle until the water in the receptacle 1 has risen tothe level of the neck of the bottle whereuponv the water level in such receptacle will automatically be regulated by barometric pressure.y Upon actuation of the motor, the disk member 32 is rapidlyv rotated and water in the receptacle 1 will be caused to climb up by centrifugal action- (possibly assisted by capillary attraction) along the outer surface of the flange 34 and will then move outward over the under surface of the disk. As the area of such surface increasesrapidly from its inner to its outer portion it is evident that the film of water will be extremely attenuated at the outer edge of the disk from which it will be thro-wn off with great force in the form of a thin film or of minute droplets. The provision ofthe automatic means for regulating the Water level is of great importance in this connection as it is very del sirable to prevent an excess amount of water from reaching the uli/der side of the disk in order to avoid the formation of unduly As these droplets are thrown olf from the edge of the disk they impinge with great violence against" the opposed surfaces of the vanes and are broken up VV.by the impact into the form of a substantially invisible mist whichv passes outwardly between the vanes and upwardly through the annular space between the member 37 and the inner surface of the wall 12. Tha-.inclination of the latter surface is such as to'oppose the upvward iiow of unatomized liquid and thus any' drops which may emerge from between the vanesare caught by such surface and turned back into the receptacle.

The-fan comprising theblades 30a serves to cause an outward flow of air over the u per edges ofl the receptacle and this air owing outwardlycarries with it the atomized liquid which rises from the space between the wall 12 of the receptacle and the outer surface of the flange 37 of the cover member, the minute particles of atomized liquid being quickly evaporated by contact with the air and converted into a true vapor. `By reason of the Grapid circulation of air through the a paratus and the absorption of water there y the temperature of the room or.

apartment in which -the apparatus is installed may be very appreciably reduced. The fan comprising the blades 40, and which under some circumstances may be employedl within the cover member, serves to circulate v the air within the space below cover 37 and thus-'prevents the accumulation of condensed i moisture upon the under surface of the cover from which large drops might fall on disk 33 and be expelled through the varies 38 in particles of appreciable Size and Such as might cause damage to surrounding objects. When this device is to be used las a fixed structure it is placed upon a suitable support and the casing 41 may be applied. The air will then be drawn in through said casing and through the screen'45El if such be employed, and discharged into the room `through the openings between the legs 16.

`In the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5. the receptacle 50 is illustratedlas furnished with an upstanding rim 51 and is provided upon its interior surface with a substantially horizontal annular ledge 52. In this case the receptacle 50 rests upon 'a bracket 5l which maybe securedto a vertical support 52 of any suitable character. Resting upon the upper edge of the rim 51 is a spider comprising the vertical arm members 53 which merge into the horizontal portions 54. At their inner ends the parts 54 are united to a ring 55 and such'parts may also be continued down at opposite, sides of said ring as indicated at 55, being united at their lower ends by means of an annular ring 551. Mounted upon the ring 55 'is au electric motor 56 having a vertical shaft 57 on the llower end of which is secured a sleeve 58. Such sleeve may be connected to the shaft bymeansof a pin 59l or in other desired manner. The upper end of a shaft 60 is inserted within the sleeve 58 and is pinned thereto, such shaft projecting downwardly into the receptacle 50 and being supported at its lower end in a bearing formed in a block 61 secured in a hollow boss-62 upstanding from the base of the receptacle yat the center thereof. The sleeve 58 may-ifI desired, be 'provided with the lateral'hole o'r opening 63 through which oil may be injected and leading from the interior of the sleeve is a passage 64 extending"v longitudinally of the shaft 60 and terminating at its bottom in a plurality of radially extending openings whereby oil may be -permitted to discharge into the bearing block 61.

Secured upon lthelower part of the shaft 64 is a hub 65, an atomizingfdisk comprising the substantially fiat member 66. Thisy disk. member extends outwardly to a point above the ledge 52, the peripheral portion of such disk member 66 being spaced a slight distance above such ledge. ,Integral with the disk or secured to it in any desired manner is a de pending flange 67 of truncated conical form, such fiange being open at its lower extremity and surrounding theboss 62 but being free from contact therewith. At apoint above the hub there is secured to the shaft 60 a hub 68 carrying fan .blades 69 of any desired form. Interposed between the fan and the motor is a cover vdevice com-f prising the downwardly inclined sheet metal element 70 havingv at its central portion. the

vertically arranged annular flange 72. The flange 72 engages the inner surface of the ring 55",` hereinbefore referred to, and provides a large opening Immediately above the center of the fan comprising the blade 70 69. vThe member 70 is continued downwardly in a vertical direction, such vertical portion being slotted to provide spaced vanes 7l, these vanes being arranged substantially'in the same manner as the vanes 75 38 previously described. The cover comprising the part 70 is supported upon the ledge i 52 by engagement of the lower ends of the vanes 7l therewith, and is centered by engagement of the flange 72 with the ring 55". 80

Above the cover member 70 is provided a casing 73 having a depending flange 74 which fits loosely within the inner peripheral surface of the up'standing rim 51 of the receptacle. This casing is providedwith a central 35 opening which fits "over, the upstanding flange 72 of the cover 70. The casing 73 is provided with one or more openings 77, herein illustrated as two in number and arranged at diametrically oppositev points and leading into Aeorresponding'hoods 75, 76, which extend in a substantially tangential direction respectively. These hoods open in opposite directions as indicated at 7 8, see

Fig. 5, so that air and water vapor passing upwardly into the casing 73 isvdischarged in-oppositely directed tangential streams from such hoods. As the casing. 73 is freely rotatable, the direction of such streams may be varied at will.

. Not only does the casing with its hoods serve as a means for determining the direc- -tion in which the` air and atomized liquid A vapor are discharged, but it also acts to retard and condense water particles of ap- 1'05 `preciable size and to cause them to flow back into the receptacle. While such directing hoods have been -illustrated as applied to the form of device shown vin Figs. 4 and 5, it is contemplated that the "device of Fig. 1 11o v might be furnished withv asimilar arrangement of parts if desired.

For supplying liquid tothe container or receptacle 501there is provided a pipe 79 eX- tending up through a vertical opening in The space between the ,120

matter such as lint or ly,which is com- 125 monly found in the air of mills and other manufacturing establishments.

In accordance with' the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, 'in place of the screen material 82,'above` referred to, the space immediately 130 ing where it is substantially free from dust or foreign material. i

In Fig.,7 a portable apparatus ofthe type .of Fig. 1 is illustrated as comprising the receptacle 1a, the reservoir 9a, the spider or .support consisting of the legs 14a, 15a, the

ring 18, and the legs 20a supporting the motor 22a. Surrounding the legs 15a is a casing 100 lhaving diametrically disposed.

vby the fan blades 3 (not shown), passes out tangentially arranged discharge openings as 101. ln this arrangement, the air discharged between 4the legs 16a, and after picking up the atomized liquid rising from the recep' tacle, is discharged in tangential, oppositely Adirected streams through ,the openings 101.

Preferably the casing ,100 ts loosely over the legs 16, resting upon the members 14, and thus the direction of the discharge open- .ings 101 may be varied at will. While 1t is preferred to employ two discharge openings, Aa greater or lesser lnumber might be provided ifdesired.

In the operation of the device illustrated in Fig. 4, the rotation of the blades 69 tends to cause an inluX of air, through the screen 82 such air passing downwardly through the opening in `flange 72 and beneath the cover 70 and thence outwardly through the vanes 71 in a 'plane near the upper ends of the latter. At the same time the rotation of thedisk 66 acts by centrifugal force to draw waterfrom the reservoir and to'proj ect it inthe form of an attenuated film or of minute droplets from the peripheral surface of the disk.

y Such film im inges with great force against the vanes -1 and is thu'syreduced to a ine mist which-passes out between the vanes j,

andis caught up bythe air current-produced '.bythe fanlblades 69. This air current, with its atomized liquid, passes-into the casing 73T with a swirling or rotary motion and by reason of'thetangential` arrangement of the discharge hood, is ejected with considerable force fromthe latter, being thus thoroughly lmingled with the atmosphere of the room or i apartment. f

While water has been referred to throughout the above'description as a suitable moistening agent, it is contemplated that under certain circumstances. the water might servey as a medium vfor the dlstribu-tlon of 'd1s1nfectirig uids or other substances-with which "it is desired to impregnate the 4air ofv thev rcom or apartment. The structure thus prol vided is'simple in form', compact and durable, easily installed and inthe embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 may be readily transported from one 'position to another in a room or apartment, thus permitting moisture to be discharged at that place where it is found to be most desirable, while by the use of the adjustable discharge hood the direction of the current of moisture laden air may readily be determined.

While a specific embodiment of thejinvention has herein been disclosed it is to be understood that various changes and modiicationsA in arrangements of lparts as well as substitutions of equivalent parts for those herein disclosed may be made without dej parting from the spirit of the present invention. f j

What l claim is: A 1 1. portable" 'humidifying apparatus comprising a shallow basin constructed and arranged to be set upon a table or similar support, liquid atomizing means therein.

comprising a rotating disc, an air impelling fan, a fixed partition interposed between the disc and fan, amotor for actuating said atomi/zing means and fansupported lupon said receptacle, and aflexible conductor cord whereby to connect said motor to a source of electric energy. l. x*

2. A humidifier comprising a shallow circular portable receptacle, a disc having a closed central portion rotatable; therein about a vertical axis, automatically acting means portable with the receptacle for supplying liquid to said receptacle,- aremovable spider mounted upon said receptacle land providing a' support for a motor, a motor mounted thereon, means for connecting said disc and motor-wherebyto rotate saidl disc, and a centrifugal fan arrangedwithin said spider and rotatable by said motor for ex said ange,.and a cover member above said ydisc, and provided with portions freely engaging said 'flange' whereby to supporty said cover member. l et. Al humidifier comprising a liquid-ree ceiving basin having a central upstandingd boss provided with ajvertical journal open ing, a shaft rotatable within said j ornal opening, a disc member fast to said shaftand arranged to turn in a plane intermediate the depth of the basin, and av coverv member superposed upon" said disc and `having a central opening of a diameter slightly largg than that of the shaftv through which the shaftI passes, said cover member being provided with portions engageable with said l basin whereby to su-pport said cover member in operative position. v

5. A humidifier of the portable type comprising a circular basin, a bearing arranged centrally thereof and integral therewith, a shaft, a disc member secured to said shaft and rotatable within said receptacle, a flange dependingv from said'disc and surrounding said bearing, a motor for driving said shaft, a lfan interposed 'between said motor and disc, and a cover member supported within said receptacle and interposed between said disc and fan.

6. A humidifying device comprising a liquid containing vessel, an atomizing disc, a shaft forsupporting the same, a motor for i p' driving the. shaft, a fanmounted upony said shaft adjacent said disc, a cover interposed between said fan and motor, and asecond Afan mounted upon said shaft and intermediate said cover l'and motor.

7. A portable humidifier of the class described comprising a shallow, liquid-holding receptacle of circular form, an imperforate substantially` flat disc rotatable within said receptacle and off/ a'vdiameter substantially smaller than that of the latter, a cover member 'arranged to lie in a plane above that of the disc, a fan provided'with paddlelike blades arrangedimmediately above said cover, and means to actuate said disc and fan whereby liquid is ejected by said disc and is atomized by contact with elements of the cover and as the atomized liquid emerges from the upper edge of the receptacle it is laterally expelled by said fan. 8. A portable humidifier comprising a substantially circular liquid receptacle, an

imperforate disc member within said receptacle androtatable about a vertlcal axis, a cover member arranged above said disc,

- said cover member constituting a partition 4 the edge of the same, and means n l to prevent substantial axial movement of air and being of a diameter greater than that of the disc, a series ofk vanesixedly united to the cover member and dependin from or rotatingsaid disc.

9.l A portable humidifying. device of 'the classdescribed comprising a receptacle for liquid, a circular imperforate and substantially flat disc rotatable about a vertical axis and arranged within .said receptacle, a cover member constituting a horizontal partition overlying said disc'and having a depending flange intersecting the plane of said disc, said flange ,comprising a series of spaced relatively ixedvanes arranged innon-radial planes, and means for rotating ysaid disc in a direction opposite to the angle of inclination of said vanes.

class described comprising a basin having an upstandlng rlm, a disc arranged for rotation within said'basin in a substantially horizontal plane, a horizontal partition extending across said receptacle and4 constituting a cover therefor, said cover having a depending flange, the diameter of said flange being greater than that of the disc, said flange comprising a series of angularly disposed non-radial relatively fixed vanes, means for engagement by the ends of said vanes whereby to s'upport said cover member in a plane above that of the disc, and means for rotating said disc in a direction Such that moisture thrown therefrom by centrifugal action is diverted by contact with said vanes to move ina direction substantially pposite to the direction of rotation of the 1l. A humidifying apparatus comprising a liquid containing receptacle, means for admitting liquid thereto, liquid atomizing means within said receptacle comprising a rotatable disc, acover for said receptacle, a supporting structure mounted upon said receptacle, ya fan arranged above the cover and having a motor driven shaft extending through an bpening in said cover for actuating the disc, an air admission opening in said supporting structure2 and means for screening dair flowing to said opening.

12. A portable humidifying apparatus comprising mechanical means for reducing liquid to a mist-like form, independent means. for producing a current of air whereby to convey away such mist-like liquid after its formation, and adjustable means for determining the direction of discharg of the mist-laden air current. u

.13. A portable humidifying apparatus comprising means for reducing liquid to the form of a mist, rotating means for producingy a rotating body of air for conveying away such mist, and an outlet passage arranged tangentially to saidrrotatin body of air wherebyto determine the direction lof discharge of the same.

15,. A humidifying apparatus comprising a circular receptacle for liquid, means for reducing such liquid to the form of mist, independent means.. for producing anV air current, and a casing adjustablyy rotatable about the axis of said receptacle and having n a tangentially directed outlet opening where- 10. A portable humidifying devlce of the b y optionally to determine the direction of discharge of said air current and mist.

16. A humidifying apparatus comprising a. circular liquid container having means .therein for atomizing liquid,lindependent angularly adjustable about the aXis of the container and having a tangentially directed outlet passage.

17. A humidifying apparatus comprising a circular liquid container. means thereon for atomizing liquid and for circulating air in proximity of said atoniizing means, and a circular casing angularly adjustable about the axis of the receptacle and into which the circulating air "is discharged. said casing having a pair of diametrically opposed tangential outlet passages.

18. A humidifier of portable type c0mprising a shallow circular receptacle having an atomizing disc turning therein in a plane spaced from its bottom, means for maintaining liquid in said receptacle at a constant level below the disc, a cover for the receptacle enclosingithe disc, a shaft to which the disc is fixed, a motorfor driving the shaft, and a. motor supporting spider mounted upon the rim of the receptacle and having means for centering the cover relatively to the receptacle.

19. A portable humidifier comprising a shallow lcircular receptacle for liquid. said receptacle having a boss upstanding from its bottom adjacent to its center, a vertical shaft resting upon a. step bearing in said boss, said shaft having an axial bore opening at one end adjacent to thebearing and at the other at a point above the top of the receptacle, an atomizing disc fixed to the shaft within the receptacle, a cover for the receptacle enclosing the disc, and a motor supported upon the receptacle and operatively connected with the shaft.

Signed by me at Pawtucket, R. I., this 6th day of June, 1921;

BEBTRAM M. MILLS. 

